The all-wheel-drive version of the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox is more peppy, but has less range.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
My partner’s Toyota RAV4 will likely retire soon after some 320,000 kilometres. She loves it for ski trips and camping in bear country – it’s great on logging roads and she can put down the seats and sleep soundly while I’m relegated to the tent and serving as bear distractor (I don’t fit).
We’d like to avoid gas stations and contributing to the extreme weather ravaging B.C., but keep the room for sleeping and the logging road access. So an electric vehicle. We hear that Toyota’s only EV, the bZ4X, is noisy, and the range with all-wheel drive is not impressive. What would you recommend, or do we have to wait until 2026? – Thomas
Petrina Gentile: Wow, Thomas has 320,000 clicks on his RAV4 – that’s impressive! It’s no surprise he started with Toyota’s first EV, the bZ4X. What are your thoughts on it?
Mark Richardson: I don’t know why Thomas thinks the bZ4X is noisy. It’s never been noisy for me – either motor or wind noise – but then it’s never wowed me on anything, either. There’s nothing really wrong with it and maybe that’s just fine, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary.
Gentile: It drives like many other electric vehicles, including the Subaru Solterra EV, which shares its platform. I don’t find it noisy either, but Thomas is right about the range. The front-wheel-drive version claims up to 406 kilometres, but the all-wheel drive is up to 367 kilometres, which isn’t the highest out there.
Richardson: I’d suggest he goes straight to his Hyundai dealership and drive the Ioniq 5. It was the best EV when it hit the market several years ago, and I think it’s still the best for space, range, features and value. Do you know if it’s been updated yet with a rear wiper blade?
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5.Courtesy of manufacturer
Gentile: Yes, it now has a rear wiper blade on the 2025 model.
Richardson: It really needs it too – it was a major failing for that model. Hyundai removed the wiper at the last moment before it launched, thinking it wasn’t needed, and then thousands of Ioniq 5 drivers couldn’t see out the rear window in messy weather.
Gentile: I also prefer the driving dynamics of the Ioniq 5, and especially the sportier Ioniq 5 N – it’s more engaging than the bZ4X. (Full disclosure: My partner works at Hyundai Auto Canada; however, our relationship did not influence my inclusion of this vehicle.)
Richardson: The Ioniq 5 N is more engaging than just about anything out there, but it’s a silly car. It’s a video game on wheels. They should have put those super-sporty features on a sedan like the Ioniq 6, or a hot hatch like the Kona EV, not a family SUV.
Gentile: Fair enough. I don’t think Thomas needs an N version, but the Ioniq 5 is definitely worth a look. It has decent range and plenty of cargo space. Unfortunately, there’s no $5,000 federal EV rebate on electric vehicles anymore.
Richardson: That’s too bad, but Thomas wants an EV whether he gets a rebate or not and he may be eligible for the income-based B.C. rebate of up to $4,000. What else would you suggest after looking at the Ioniq 5? Something with plenty of space inside – maybe the Chevrolet Equinox EV?
Gentile: I like the Equinox. It’s a great option for Thomas. It’s spacious, it has a long range – more than 500 kilometres for the front-wheel-drive models – and it’s one of the cheapest EVs on the market in Canada, starting at around $48,000 before taxes.
Richardson: Electric vehicles have a definite advantage for space, because they don’t need a driveshaft under the cabin from the engine to the rear wheels. If the rear wheels are powered, the electric motor attaches directly to them, or to the axle. That’s good for adding legroom, but doesn’t really increase cargo space when the seats are lowered.
Honda built the Prologue on the same platform as the Chevrolet Blazer EV.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Gentile: You mean, if Thomas wants to put down a sleeping bag in the Equinox to avoid meeting any nighttime bears in his tent?
Richardson: Yes – the cargo space in the Equinox EV is 1,620 litres with the second row of seats lowered, but it’s 1,798 litres in the conventional Equinox. The battery under the flat floor raises and squishes everything a bit.
Gentile: Inside, it’s fairly basic and minimalistic. If that doesn’t bother Thomas or his partner, it should be at the top of his list to consider.
Richardson: There’s also the Honda Prologue to think about, or maybe the Chevrolet Blazer EV, though they’re not quite so large as the Equinox.
Gentile: The Honda Prologue shares its platform with the Blazer – they’re both good EVs, but I think Thomas would be better off with a bigger vehicle. What about a Kia EV6?
Richardson: The EV6 has a sleeker, lower roofline than the Ioniq 5, which makes it better looking but a little less practical for space. But here’s an idea to knock out of the park: the Volkswagen ID.Buzz.
The new Volkswagen ID.Buzz (right) and an original VW minibus next to each other.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Gentile: Interesting. I love the styling of the ID.Buzz – it’s a cool throwback to the original VW Westfalia. It’s very spacious, practical and smart for families. But it doesn’t have a lot of range, at up to 377 kilometres.
Richardson: I’m sure Thomas would appreciate the larger size of the Buzz for sleeping in, but he’ll have to look at their typical trips before deciding if a 377-kilometre range will be enough. If they drive way out into the boonies, it might be a concern to find a charge point to get home.
Gentile: Exactly. Thomas also asked if he should wait for 2026 for newer EVs to come to market. Anything interesting he should look out for?
Richardson: For me, the most interesting is the new Honda electric vehicle. This is the 0 Series that we saw at the Consumer Electronics Show that Honda’s developed on its own, without partnering with General Motors as it did for the Prologue. It’s due to be produced in a year’s time.
Gentile: I love the look of the 0 Saloon and the 0 SUV – very futuristic and bold. We don’t know the pricing yet, but hopefully it’ll be cheaper than the electric Afeela 1 sedan - that’s the one Honda partnered with Sony to build under the Sony Honda Mobility umbrella. That will initially be sold in California for a whopping US$90,000!
Richardson: Ouch! Electric cars don’t seem to be getting any more affordable. I wouldn’t suggest Thomas wait another year because whatever and whenever he buys, there’s always going to be something coming down the pipe in a year’s time from then. He should get something that keeps both of them safe from bears right now.
Gentile: I agree – buy now before any tariffs are imposed and we return to pandemic days with more expensive new and used cars. So what’s your top pick for Thomas?
Richardson: Hyundai Ioniq 5, if it has the rear wiper. But definitely test drive the Equinox EV as well.
Gentile: It doesn’t happen often, but I agree with you, this time…
The Kia EV6.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
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